This invention relates to an improved product of applying a felt liner to roofs, more particularly, the invention relates to improved felt liner to be used in the shake roofing industry. For the purpose of this invention, a "shake" can be any organic or synthetic shingle. Typically, shakes in the industry are made from cedar, pine, fir, or a compounded material. The term shake is not limited to the above and encompasses other materials used in shakes which are installed in a two, three or four-ply manner.
At present, installing a felt liner in preparation of installing shake roofs requires a two step procedure. Shake shingles require a double layer of felt as a result of often being laid as a two-ply or three-ply system. The first step requires laying an underlayment of felt on the decking of the roof. The underlayment is generally coated with a weather resistant material such as a bituminous coating. After the initial felt underlayment is secured on the roof, a shake liner is laid across the underlayment in an overlapping manner. The second layer thereafter has to be secured to the underlayment and the roof. Such installation results in a two step operation, prior to the shakes being installed.
Problems encountered with the present two layer system are numerous. One significant problem is snow, ice and water work their way underneath the shakes, the liner and onto the underlayment. Once moisture has worked its way to the underlayment, the moisture is able to find channels to the decking. These channels often are the nails or staples which extend through the underlayment and into the decking. After a period of time, the moisture is absorbed by the decking and results in rotted decking.
Prior to this invention, the method of laying a shake liner involved laying long strips transverse across the roof and securing the strips at an upper end to the underlayment and decking. This presented a problem in that the additional step of installing the shake liner, after laying the underlayment, was a tedious step and involved much time. This results in increased labor costs. Furthermore, such an additional step created an additional safety hazard in that the roofer was performing an additional task on the roof. The time minimized on the roof reduces the safety hazards to a roofer. Thus, a need exists for an easier method of laying the shake liner and underlayment on the decking prior to roofing with shake shingles. To date, there has not been a satisfactory solution to this problem.
Another problem existing in present shake roofing felt liners is the excessive material being used as a shake liner. Presently, the underlayment lays over the whole decking of the roof. The underlayment is typically a fifteen pound felt material. The shake liner, typically a fifteen pound felt, is laid in strips and extends transversely across the roof with a partial overlap. The overlapping of the shake liner results in a double layer of shake liner material on much of the roof. This double layer results in excessive use of material which increases the cost and waste of material. There is a need for an improved shake liner and underlayment which decreases this excessive use of material.
The present invention is an improved method of installing roofing felt for shake shingles as well as eliminating problems such as ice and snow getting under the shake liner. Furthermore, it reduces excess materials being used.
In recent years, there has been a steady increase in the cost of installing a shake roof. The cost of cedar shingles has risen tremendously which makes such cedar shingles prohibitive in comparison with the lower priced asphalt shingle. There is a need for a shake roofing felt liner which reduces the cost of shake roofing and can be put on the roof in a cost effective manner, thus benefitting the consumer with a lower priced option for a roofing material.